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"I am Arab, also, a Palestinian Christian. We also say, “Allahu Akbar” which is normally associated with the Muslim faith, we also say “Inshaa Allah”, “Alhamdulillah”, this is simply because ARABIC is our spoken language. The Arabic word for God” is “Allah” whether you are A CHRISTIAN or a MUSLIM. ‘ — Theodosius Atallah Hanna |
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| Christmas in Bethlehem from Father Spiridon Sammour of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, occupied Palestine. |
"Merry
Christmas Eve to all of the Orthodox and Arab Christians who celebrate
Christmas tomorrow, Jan. 7. It's a complicated story as there are three
different celebrations (Dec. 25, Jan. 7 and Jan. 18 depending on your
religion.) The Greek Orthodox Christians maintain the old tradition
using the Julian Calendar rather than the Gregorian Calendar or the
"revised Julian Calendar"
MERRY CHRISTMAS ... "He is Risen"
"Many Orthodox Christians fast before January 7, with the exception of meat and dairy products.
"Foods
may include: Lenten bread, fresh nuts and dried fruits, vegetables and
herbs such as potatoes, peas and garlic, mushroom soup, beans slow
cooked with potatoes, garlic and spices, bobki (small biscuits mixed
with sauerkraut or poppy seeds with honey). Honey. cod. Christmas Day,
on the other hand, is a day to feast and enjoy the company of friends
and family members.
"The Christmas meal usually includes meat and
various types of pastries. One of the traditional Russian Christmas
dishes is a goose baked with apples. The type of food and activity may
vary depending on the culture and traditions of the country. In some
Orthodox Christian cultures, people walk in procession to the seas,
rivers, and lakes as part of the Mass on Orthodox Christmas Day. They
make holes in the ice to bless the water if it is frozen. Not much
importance is given to gift-exchange and business Christmas. Some
Orthodox Christians celebrate the birth and worship of the shepherds
(those who visited the baby Jesus) on January 6, followed by the worship
of the Magi (three wise men or kings) on January 7. It may be longer
than usual but many people find it inspiring."
~
From Arab News
Fr. Spiridon Sammour, the pastor of the Church of the Nativity in
Bethlehem, delivers a sermon on Christmas Eve. (Fr-Spiridon Sammour)
"Muslims also recognize Jesus as a great prophet and that shared respect brings Christians and Muslims together. Easter commemorates the time when Christians believe Jesus was crucified by the Romans in Jerusalem and then resurrected."
https://www.arabnews.com/node/1999461/middle-east
“The Church of the Nativity includes the Grotto of the Nativity and nearby caves, the Greek Orthodox Monastery, the Armenian Monastery, St. Jerome’s School, St. Catherine’s Church and St. Jerome’s Church,” Fr. Sammour said.
“When we visit the Grotto of Nativity, we find in the place where Jesus was born a star with 14 points. This denotes the 14 generations from Adam to Abraham, from Abraham to David the prophet and king, from David to the captivity to Babylon, and from the captivity to Babylon to Joseph, the husband of Mary and of whom Jesus was born.
“But most important is the inscription on the star. It reads in Latin, ‘Hic natus est Jesus Christus ex Maria Vergine,’ which translates as, ‘Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary.’” Fr. Sammour said.
“The key is the word ‘here’ as it means that the great mystery of the incarnation took place in this particular place, and this means that this geographical point is central because it is a meeting point between heaven and earth, God and man.”
Captions translated from Dutch to English 2021
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| Customs control ("gumruk" in Arabic). From Jaffa, Palestinian agricultural products were exported all over the world. Oranges of course, but also wine. |
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| Daughters of Palestine", this photo reads. Not all Arabs are Muslims, some are Christians. But no less Arab or Palestinian for that. Scholten speaks of "Catholic natives" |
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| Different types of bread |
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| Fair! |
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| Farmer with typical farmer's scarf (keffijeh). During a major uprising against the British a few years after Frank Scholten's journey, this will become the symbol of Palestinian national identity, supplanting the Fez as the most popular headwear |
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| Friday Prayer |
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| In Palestine, all kinds of nationalities lived together. The book contains photos of Indians, Africans, Europeans, etc. This African Palestinian is clearly at ease with the Ottoman Fez. |
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| In the 1920s, Jaffa was booming, judging by the photos of construction workers at work. |
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| Jaffa |
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| Jewish craftsman |
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| Jewish quarter. The (small) Jewish communities in Palestine lived peacefully with the Palestinians. |
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| Last Supper for the sheep chosen for the Feast of Sacrifice |
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| Tanning |
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| Lunch from a tanner |
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| Melon harvest (and "hump") |
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| Mosque with Corinthian columns. |
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| Palestine was then still a British colony. Here the British gendarmerie clears the way for the High Commissioner who will pass |
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| School |
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| Soldier with banner. The author chose this photo to emphasize how graceful the Arabic script is. |
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| The "congregation servant" sounds his trumpet to announce the Sabbath. |
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| The Bedouins are a nomadic people who still live in Palestine today, but who have even fewer rights within Israel than the Palestinians. |
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| The old port of Jaffa. This important Palestinian port city was largely destroyed in 1948 by Zionist militias. "Tel Aviv", the capital of Israel, was founded on the ruins. |
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| The sailors of Jaffa rest, with fez (typical Ottoman hat for townspeople) and water pipe. Image reminds me of a film by Fellini (Roma or Amarcord), where they are eating on a tram track and have to stand up every time the tram passes. |
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| Today Orthodox Jews still live in Palestine (Israel), descendants of these communities. They have nothing to do with the Zionists and are explicitly against the existence of the Israeli state. |
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| Arab women with hookah. The woman on the left suffers from cataracts ("ophthalmia" apparently, according to the book). |
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| Typical wooden "upper rooms". The Palestinian cities are often centuries old, these kinds of renovations were often the only way to create more space. |
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| We used to make our own "kites" with my grandpa. This one looks a bit more complex |
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| Young lad in "Friday clothes" |
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| Frank Scholten PALESTINA The Gateway to Jaffa |
Last weekend I came across Jonas Adriaensens at a cafe in Ghent . He was carrying a big book under his arm that he found at a flea market, and had me browsing . In the end, he even gave me the book, with the intention that I could donate it to an organization that fights for the rights of the Palestinian people .
It concerns a unique book from 1930, when printed on 1000 copies, from a Dutch photographer, traveler and religious scholar named Frank Scholten . I had never heard of the book, there's a chance that there are hardly any copies of it . The book contains a treasure of beautiful "artistic photographs" (dixit the author) of life in Palestine a hundred years ago . Mr. Scholten was clearly fascinated by Palestinian culture, especially by the way Muslims, Christians and Jews lived together peacefully . He didn't know how meaningful his photos would become a century later...
Because these photos prove something the Israeli and Western colonists are trying to deny: that there was a prosperous country called Palestine before Israel was founded . Not a "country without a people", but a rich history of a prosperous Palestinian nation . A buzzing, multicultural and tolerant society even . They're powerful images, featuring indelible faces of real people .
I have been to Palestine three times and I feel deeply connected to the Palestinian struggle for dignity and justice . A battle that starts with acknowledging their existence, something the colonizers are so stubbornly trying to prevent . As I browse through this book, I look into the eyes of the Palestinian ancestors who live today between the illegal settlements, between barbed wire and checkpoints; or in the Gaza open-air prison; or those born just like their parents are in refugee camps that 70 years ago as "temporary" Designed by . The ancestors of the 4650 Palestinian political prisoners who, often without trial, have been locked up in brutal circumstances by the Israeli occupier . Ancestors of the ten thousand Palestinians murdered by the regime since 1948 . From the Nakba, over the Sabra and Shatilla genocide, to the nearly weekly victims of the Israeli occupation army . Like the young Mohammad Da'as, 15, who was shot dead last week .
The Pashtoons were not allowed to speak out about Israel’s establishment - replaced by Western powers who wanted to maintain a bridge head in the region after Arab colonies’ independence . Suddenly the Zionist occupiers were there, with tanks and planes, bombs and machine guns . Suddenly Palestinians were forcefully deported from their country . Suddenly they were told it was never their country . That they were uncultured barbarians, who had to take place for a "civilized people". These photos prove .
I will do my best to scan these photos correctly . Whoever wants them (digital) just let them know . I already have a destination in mind for the book itself, but @Jonas if you think about it, you'll definitely get it back
